Information Reading Apparatus and Computer-Readable Storage Medium

ABSTRACT

An image control apparatus which stores in a storage section an image captured in an imaging section, comprising a comparing section which, after changing from a first static image in which an imaging subject is not in motion into a dynamic image in which the imaging subject is in motion and at a time when changing from the dynamic image into a second static image in which an imaging subject is not in motion, compares the first static image and the second static image; and a storage controlling section which controls whether or not to store the second static image in the storage section, in accordance with a comparison result of the comparing section.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/081,724 filed Nov. 15, 2013 which claims the benefit of priority ofJapanese Patent Application No. 2012-275308, filed Dec. 18, 2012, theentire content of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image control method and apparatusfor storing in a storage section an image captured in an imagingsection.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, as a technology for sequentially imaging a book or thelike and sequentially recording images of the book, a technology isknown in which, when a book or the like is held by hand and pages of thebook are sequentially turned, this page turning is detected by analyzingimages obtained by sequentially imaging this state, and then the imagesof the respective pages are recorded and stored (refer to JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2012-065261).Specifically, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2012-065261, when a page isuninterruptedly turned, since the position of the page end side incaptured images is uninterruptedly changed, change in the position ofthe page end side is detected. When it is detected based on the positionof the page end side that the page has been completely turned, an imagecaptured at this point is obtained, recorded, and stored as an image forone page.

However, with the method of the above-described technology where changein the position of a page end side is detected, although a page end sidecan be detected at a high-contrast portion, it is difficult to alwaysstably detect a page end side. Also, a page end side may be confusedwith a folding portion (longitudinal center line) between the pages of atwo-page spread, by which an erroneous detection regarding page turningmay be occurred. Moreover, when each spread page is photographed, datafor a two-page spread is recorded and stored as data for a single image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to enable one page to beprocessed as one image even when an entire two-page spread of aninformation recording medium is photographed at one time.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an information reading apparatus which photographs aninformation recording medium having information recorded thereon andreads the information, comprising: a judging section which judgeswhether the information recording medium is in a two-page spread layoutby analyzing a photographed image of the information recording medium;and a dividing section which divides the photographed image of theinformation recording medium into pages of a two-page spread, when thejudging section judges that the information recording medium is in atwo-page spread layout.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having storedthereon a program that is executable by a computer, the program beingexecutable by the computer to perform functions comprising: processingfor judging whether an information recording medium having informationrecorded thereon is in a two-page spread layout by analyzing aphotographed image of the information recording medium; and processingfor dividing the photographed image of the information recording mediuminto pages of a two-page spread, when the information recording mediumis judged to be in a two-page spread layout.

According to the present invention, one page can be processed as oneimage even when an entire two-page spread of an information recordingmedium is photographed at one time, whereby images obtained bysequentially imaging a book or the like can be efficiently processed foreach page.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an image controlapparatus which stores in a storage section an image captured in animaging section, comprising: a comparing section which, after changingfrom a first static image in which an imaging subject is not in motioninto a dynamic image in which the imaging subject is in motion and at atime when changing from the dynamic image into a second static image inwhich an imaging subject is not in motion, compares the first staticimage and the second static image; and a storage controlling sectionwhich controls whether or not to store the second static image in thestorage section, in accordance with a comparison result of the comparingsection.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an image controlapparatus which stores in a storage section a captured image captured inan imaging section, comprising a detecting section which detectspresence or absence of a change in images sequentially captured in theimaging section; a comparing section which, after a change in the imagesis detected in the detecting section and at a time when detected that achange in the images has ceased, compares an image captured in theimaging section at the time with an image captured before the change inimages is detected; and a storage controlling section which controlswhether or not to store the image captured at the time in the storagesection, in accordance with a comparison result of the comparingsection.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an image controlmethod which stores in a storage section a captured image captured in animaging section comprising a detecting step of detecting presence orabsence of a change in images sequentially captured in the imagingsection; a comparing step of, after a change in the images is detectedin the detecting step and at a time when detected that a change in theimages has ceased, comparing an image captured in the imaging section atthe time with an image captured before the change in images is detected;and a storage controlling step of controlling whether or not to storethe image captured at the time in the storage section, in accordancewith a comparison result of the comparing step.

The above and further objects and novel features of the presentinvention will more fully appear from the following detailed descriptionwhen the same is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Itis to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for thepurpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of thelimits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing basic components of an informationreading apparatus of an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the information readingapparatus, depicting a state in which a paper medium is read by theinformation reading apparatus;

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D each depict a diagram for describing one judgingmethod for judging whether the paper medium is in a two-page spreadlayout;

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B each depict a diagram for describing another judgingmethod for judging whether the paper medium is in a two-page spreadlayout;

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B each depict a diagram for describing still anotherjudging method for judging whether the paper medium is in a two-pagespread layout;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for describing an operation (a characteristicoperation of the present embodiment) that is started when a documentpage-turning photographing mode is specified in response to theswitching of an operation mode by a user operation;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for describing processing for storing a page imageaccording to a document format (Step A12 of FIG. 6) in detail;

FIG. 8 is a diagram for describing a modification example of the presentembodiment; and

FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B each depict a diagram for describing anothermodification example of the present embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention is described below with referenceto FIG. 1 to FIG. 7.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing basic components of an informationreading apparatus of an embodiment.

This information reading apparatus photographs an information recordingmedium having information recorded thereon (for example, a paper mediumsuch as a document) and reads the information. A control section 1serving as the core of the apparatus operates with power supply from apower supply section 2, and has a central processing unit which controlsan entire operation of the information reading apparatus by followingvarious programs in a storage section 3, a memory, etc.

The storage section 3 has, for example, a program memory 3 a whereprograms depicted in flowcharts of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 described below,various applications, etc. are stored, and a work memory 36 whichtemporarily stores various information required for the informationreading apparatus to operate (for example, a flag).

The storage section 3 may be structured to include a recording mediumsuch as an SD card, and may include a storage area on another serverapparatus (omitted in the drawing) side.

An operation section 4 in FIG. 1 includes, although omitted in thedrawing, a power supply key which is a press-button key for turningpower supply ON/OFF. The control section 1 performs processing inaccordance with an input operation signal corresponding to an operationkey which is outputted from the operation section 4.

A touch display section 5 is structured to have a display panel 5 a witha touch panel 5 b laminated thereon.

An imaging section 6, which constitutes an image reading function, is adigital camera section capable of photographing a subject with highdefinition by forming a subject image from an optical lens onto animaging element (such as a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) or a CMOS(Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor), and has an imaging lens, animaging element, various sensors, an analog processing section, adigital processing section, and the like omitted in the drawing.

A wireless LAN (Local Area Network) communicating section 7 is awireless communication module capable of high-speed large-capacitycommunication, and is capable of being connected to the Internet via anearby wireless LAN router (omitted in the drawing).

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the information readingapparatus, depicting a state in which a paper medium is read by theinformation reading apparatus.

The information reading apparatus is structured to have a tablet device11 and a paper medium 12 mounted on a double-open binder 10, and isbasically synonymous with the tablet device 11.

The binder 10 is structured to have a first housing 10 a and a secondhousing 10 b mounted thereon via a hinge section 10 c so as to beopenable to be in an opened state. The first housing 10 a and the secondhousing 10 b are openable and closable from a state of being opened at180 degrees to a state in which the second housing 10 b has been placedon the first housing 10 a (completely closed state).

The touch display section 5 and the imaging section 6 of the tabletdevice 11 are placed to be positioned on the front surface side of thetablet device 11. Also, the imaging section 6 is placed to be positionedat the center of one end on the front surface side (in the exampledepicted in the drawing, at the center of the left end on the frontsurface).

When an angle formed by the first housing 10 a and the second housing 10b becomes in a predetermined angle range, the tablet device 11 obtains,as a read image, an image obtained by photographing the entire papermedium 12 mounted on the first housing 10 a.

For example, in a state where the first housing 10 a has been placed onthe surface of a table or the like, when an angle at which the secondhousing 10 b obliquely stands, that is, a standing angle of the secondhousing 10 b comes within a predetermined angle range, the paper medium12 is photographed. Specifically, when an optimum angle suitable forphotographing the paper medium 12 is, for example, 70 degrees, and astanding angle of the second housing 10 b comes within a photographingangle range including predetermined angles (65 degrees to 75 degrees)which are close (plus or minus 5 degrees) to the optimal angle, thepaper medium 12 is photographed.

Also, conversely to the above-described case, it can be utilized suchthat the first housing 10 a obliquely stands with the second housing 10b being placed on the surface of a desk and the like.

The paper medium 12 is a medium having information written thereon fromwhich characters, diagrams, tables, etc. are optically read out. Forexample, the paper medium 12 is a notebook, a report paper sheet, or abook. However, it is not limited to materials made of paper, and may beany photographic subject having information thereon, which includeselectronic paper capable of electronically displaying information.

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D are diagrams each describing a judging method forjudging whether the paper medium 12 is in a two-page spread layout.

FIG. 3A is a diagram depicting a state in which a page of the papermedium 12 obtained by bundling a plurality of sheets and securing theupper-right corners of these sheets with a paper clip or the like(hereinafter referred to as a one-point-secured-type document) is beingturned.

In a live view image obtained by photographing thisone-point-secured-type document whose one corner of the sheets has beensecured and page is being turned, a change of the image at the time ofpage turning significantly appears in the vertical direction and therightward direction.

That is, as depicted in FIG. 3B, an image change area b where the imageis partially straying off a sheet area a of the document by page turning(a page being turned) significantly changes in the vertical directionand the rightward direction.

FIG. 3C is a diagram depicting a state where a page of atwo-page-spread-type document having left and right pages such as anotebook and serving as the paper medium 12 is being turned.

In a live view image obtained by photographing this two-page-spread-typedocument whose page is being turned, the image change area b where theimage is partially straying off the sheet area a of the document by pageturning (a page being turned) is hardly present in the horizontaldirection, and is slightly large in the vertical direction, as depictedin FIG. 3D.

Thus, in the present embodiment, since a change of an image at the timeof page turning varies according to the document format (theone-point-secured-type document or the two-page-spread-type document)and a change of the sheet area a in the rightward direction issignificant, whether or not the image change area b is straying onto theright side of the sheet area a is used as a criterion for documentformat judgment.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are diagrams for describing another judging methodfor judging whether the paper medium 12 is in a two-page spread layout.

FIG. 4A is a diagram depicting a state in which a page of aone-point-secured-type document is being turned, as with FIG. 3A.

In a live view image obtained by photographing thisone-point-secured-type document whose page is being turned, a change ofthe image at the time of page turning appears by a change of documentcontent on the next page (subsequent page) in the diagonally upperdirection (the arrow direction in the drawing).

FIG. 4B is a diagram depicting a state in which a page of atwo-page-spread-type document is being turned, as with FIG. 3C. In alive view image obtained by photographing this two-page-spread-typedocument whose page is being turned, a change of the image at the timeof page turning appears by a change of document content on the next page(subsequent page) in the horizontally-straight rightward direction (thearrow direction in the drawing).

Thus, in the present embodiment, since a changing direction of documentcontent on a next page (subsequent page) at the time of page turningvaries according to the document format, the changing direction of thedocument content is used as a criterion for document format judgment.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are diagrams for describing still another method forjudging whether the paper medium 12 is in a two-page spread layout.

FIG. 5A is a diagram depicting a state when the page turning of aone-point-secured-type document is started.

In a live view image obtained by photographing the state when the pageturning of the one-point-secured-type document is started, since theentire page is slightly bent, warped, or shifted due to page turning,the image change area b where the document content is being changed isan area approximately similar to the sheet area a of the document (thearea surrounded by the broken line in the drawing).

FIG. 5B is a diagram depicting a state when the page turning of atwo-page-spread-type document is started.

In a live view image obtained by photographing the state when the pageturning of the two-page-spread-type document is started, when the leftpage of the two page spread is started to be turned, the entire page isslightly bent, warped, or shifted, but this change does not occurs onthe right page. Therefore, the image change area b where the documentcontent is being changed is the left-half area of the sheet area a ofthe document (the area surrounded by the broken line in the drawing).

Thus, in the present embodiment, since the size of the image change areab where document content is being changed at the start of page turningwith respect to the sheet area a varies according to the documentformat, the size of the image change area b is used as a criterion fordocument format judgment.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the control section 1makes judgments according to the plurality of judgment methods, that is,the method of making a judgment based on whether the image change area bis straying onto the right side of the sheet area a, the method ofmaking a judgment based on whether the changing direction of documentcontent on a next page (the subsequent page) at the time of page turningis the horizontally-straight rightward direction, and the method ofmaking a judgment based on whether the image change area b is theleft-half area of the sheet area a. Here, whether or not the papermedium 12 is in a two-page spread layout is judged by judgments beingsequentially made according to the plurality of judging methods in apredetermined priority order.

Next, the operation concept of the information reading apparatus of thepresent embodiment is described with reference to flowcharts depicted inFIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

Here, each function described in the flowcharts is stored in a readableprogram code format, and operations based on these program codes aresequentially performed.

Also, operations based on the above-described program codes transmittedover a transmission medium such as a network can also be sequentiallyperformed.

That is, the unique operations of the present embodiment can beperformed using programs and data supplied from an outside source over atransmission medium, in addition to a recording medium.

Note that these flowcharts in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 outline operations ofthe characteristic portion of the present embodiment from among all ofthe operations of the information reading apparatus. After exiting theflows in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the procedure returns to the main flow (notshown) of the overall operation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for describing an operation (characteristicoperation of the embodiment of the present invention) that is startedwhen a document page-turning photographing mode is specified in responseto the switching of an operation mode by a user operation.

First, the control section 1 activates the imaging section 6 in responseto the switching of the current mode to a document page-turningphotographing mode so as to start a photographing operation (Step A1),obtains a photographed image from the imaging section 6, and temporarilystores the image in the work memory 3 b (Step A2).

Then, the control section 1 obtains the photographed image as a preview(live view) image (Step A3), and identifies the sheet area a of thedocument while detecting a contrast ratio and detecting a rectangulararea by analyzing this preview image (Step A4).

Then, the control section 1 obtains another preview image from theimaging section 6 (Step A5), compares the previously-obtained previewimage and the currently-obtained preview image (Step A6), and therebyjudges whether there is a change in the image content (Step A7). When achange is detected in the images (YES at Step A7), the control section 1judges that the page is being turned, and temporarily stores the changedetail in the work memory (Step A8).

Next, the control section 1 judges whether or not the documentpage-turning photographing mode has been released and an instruction forending the photographing has been provided (Step A9). When the currentmode is still the document page-turning photographing mode (NO at StepA9), the control section 1 returns to Step A5 above and obtains apreview image from the imaging section 6. Hereafter, the control section1 repeats an operation of temporarily storing a change detail every timea change in images is detected (until the page turning is over) (Step A5to Step A8).

When a change in the images is not detected (NO at Step A7), the controlsection 1 judges that the page turning is over, and proceeds to StepA10. Then, the control section 1 reads out the photographed imagetemporarily stored in the work memory 3 b as a previously photographedimage, compares the currently obtained preview image and the previouslyphotographed image, and judges whether there is a change in the imagecontent (Step A11).

When there is no change in the image content (NO at Step A11), thecontrol section 1 judges that there is not a change due to page turningin the images, and proceeds to Step A13. Then, the control section 1performs processing for clearing the change detail temporarily stored inthe work memory 3 b, returns to Step A9, and judges whether the documentpage-turning photographing mode has been released.

On the other hand, when a change of the image content is detected as aresult of the currently-obtained preview image being compared with thepreviously photographed image (YES at Step A11), the control section 1judges that there is a change due to page turning in the images, andproceeds to processing for storing a page image according to a documentformat (Step A12).

Then, after performing processing for clearing the temporarily storedchange detail (Step A13), the control section 1 returns to Step A9, andjudges whether the document page-turning photographing mode has beenreleased.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for describing the processing for storing a pageimage according to a document format (Step A12 of FIG. 6) in detail.

First, the control section 1 refers to the work memory 3 b where detailsof a change in images at the time of read page turning are sequentiallystored (Step B1) so as to analyze the change state in the images, andthereby judges whether an area in the images (the page being turned),that is, the image change area b is straying onto the right side of thesheet area a of the document by an amount equal to or larger than apredetermined threshold, as depicted in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B (Step B2).

When the image change area b is straying onto the right side of thesheet area a by an amount equal to or larger than the threshold (YES atStep B2), as depicted in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the control section 1judges that a page of a one-point-secured-type document is being turned,and records and stores the entire photographed image asone-image-per-page data (Step B3).

Then, after clearing the photographed images temporarily stored in thework memory 3 b (Step B4), the control section 1 exits the flow of FIG.7.

On the other hand, when the image change area b is not significantlystraying onto the right side of the sheet area a (NO at Step B2), thecontrol section 1 judges that there is a possibility that a page of atwo-page-spread-type document is being turned, and judges whether thechanging direction of the document content is a horizontally-straightrightward direction (Step B5), as depicted in FIG. 4B.

When the changing direction is not a horizontally-straight rightwarddirection (NO at Step B5), the control section 1 judges that there is apossibility that a page of a one-point-secured-type document is beingturned, and judges whether the change area of the document content isthe left-half area of the sheet area a (Step B6).

When the changing direction is not a horizontally-straight rightwarddirection (NO at Step B5) and the image change area b is not theleft-half area of the sheet area a (NO at Step B6), the control section1 judges that a page of a one-point-secured-type document is beingturned, and proceeds to processing for recording and storing the entirephotographed image as data of one page (Step B3).

On the other hand, when the changing direction is ahorizontally-straight rightward direction (YES at Step B5) or the imagechange area b is the left-half area of the sheet area a (YES at StepB6), the control section 1 judges that a page of two-page-spread-typedocument is being turned, and performs processing for dividing the sheetarea a into left and right pages with the center line in thelongitudinal direction as a boundary (Step B7).

With left and right areas obtained by this bisection as independent leftand right pages, the control section 1 causes the left page and theright page to be independently stored and recorded (Step B8).

Then, after clearing the photographed images temporarily stored in thework memory 3 b (Step B4), the control section 1 exits this flow of FIG.7.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the control section 1analyzes a photographed image obtained by photographing an entiredocument serving as the paper medium (information recording medium) 12by the imaging section 6, and thereby judges whether the paper medium 12is in a two-page spread layout. When the paper medium 12 is in atwo-page spread layout, the photographed image is divided into the pagesof a two-page spread. As a result of this configuration, even when theentire paper medium 12 in a two-page spread layout is photographed atone time, one page can be processed as one image. This can save abothersome editing work of dividing a photographed image of a two-pagespread by a user operation, and can efficiently processcontinuously-photographed images of a book or the like for each page.

Also, the control section 1 compares images sequentially photographedwhen a page of the paper medium 12 is being turned, detects a change ofthe image content, and judges whether the paper medium 12 is in atwo-page spread layout based on the change of the image content. As aresult of this configuration, whether the paper medium 12 is in atwo-page spread layout can be judged from the status of page turning.

Moreover, the control section 1 compares images sequentiallyphotographed at the time of page turning, detects an area straying in apage-turning direction of the paper medium 12 as a change of the imagecontent, and judges whether the paper medium 12 is in a two-page spreadlayout based on the stray area. As a result of this configuration, atwo-page spread can be accurately and stably judged from the status ofpage turning.

Furthermore, the control section 1 judges that the paper medium 12 is ina two-page spread layout when the size of an area straying in thepage-turning direction of the paper medium 12 is larger than apredetermined value. As a result of this configuration, a two-pagespread can be further accurately judged.

Still further, the control section 1 compares images sequentiallyphotographed at the time of page turning, detects whether there is achange in the page-turning direction as a change of the image content,and judges whether the paper medium 12 is in a two-page spread layoutbased on whether there is a change in the page-turning direction. As aresult of this configuration, a two-page spread can always be accuratelyand stably judged from the status of page turning.

Yet still further, the control section 1 compares images sequentiallyphotographed at the time of page turning, detects whether a changeduring the page turning has occurred in a substantially entire area or asubstantially half area of the paper medium 12, and judges whether thepaper medium 12 is in a two-page spread layout based on the size of thechange area. As a result of this configuration, a two-page spread canalways be accurately and stably judged from the status of page turning.

Yet still further, the control section 1 sequentially makes judgmentsaccording to the plurality of judging methods in the predeterminedpriority order to judge whether the paper medium 12 is in a two-pagespread layout. As a result of this configuration, a double-page spreadcan be further accurately judged.

Yet still further, the control section 1 divides a photographed imageinto two, that is, left and right pages with the center as a boundaryalong a folding portion (longitudinal center line) L1 between pages. Asa result of this configuration, right and left pages can be accuratelyobtained from a two-page spread.

In the above-described embodiment, the plurality of judgment methodsinclude, for example, the method of making a judgment based on whetherthe image change area b is straying onto the right side of the sheetarea a, the method of making a judgment based on whether the changingdirection of the document content of a next page (subsequent page) atthe time of page turning is a horizontally-straight rightward direction,and the method of making a judgment based on whether the image changearea b is the left-half area of the sheet area a. However, the presentinvention is not limited thereto. For example, the judging methoddepicted in FIG. 8 may be used.

That is, in the above-described embodiment, whether the paper medium 12is in a two-page spread layout is judged based on the status of pageturning. However, a configuration may be adopted in which a photographedimage of the paper medium 12 is analyzed to detect the form and thewarping status of the paper medium 12 and whether the paper medium 12 isin a two-page spread layout is judged based on the detected form andwarping status.

For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the paper medium 12is judged to be in a two-page spread layout based on the fact that thefolding portion (longitudinal center line) L1 between pages in atwo-page spread is present, the fact that the layout (sheet form) issuch that a horizontal line L2 is horizontally symmetrical with respectto the folding portion (longitudinal center line) L1, or the fact that ahorizontally symmetrical warp L3 with respect to the folding portion(longitudinal center line) L1 is present. As a result of thisconfiguration, a two-page spread can be judged even without pageturning.

Also, in the above-described embodiment, when the paper medium 12 isjudged to be in a two-page spread layout, the photographed image isdivided into the pages of the two-page spread. However, in addition, thephotographed image may be analyzed to further judge the orientation ofthe paper medium 12 and perform rotation control so that the orientationof each page data obtained by the division coincides with theorientation of the paper medium 12.

In this case, since there is a high possibility that the upper portionof the image of a two-page-spread-type document corresponds to the upperportions of the sheets as depicted in FIG. 9A and the upper or rightportion of the image of a one-point-secured-type document whoseupper-right corners of the sheets have been secured corresponds to theupper portions of the sheets as depicted in FIG. 9B, the orientation ofsheets can be judged together with the document format.

As a result of this configuration, for example, the entire processingefficiency can be improved as compared with a method of using acharacter recognition function to judge an orientation of the sheet froma character direction.

Moreover, in the above-described embodiment, judgments as to whether thepaper medium 12 is in a two-page spread layout are sequentially madeaccording to the plurality of judging methods in the predeterminedpriority order. However, a configuration may be adopted in which, when adesired judging method is selected by a user operation, this judgingmethod is used to judge whether the paper medium 12 is in a two-pagespread layout. By using this configuration where a judging method can beselected, even unique page turning can be supported, and a judgment canbe accurately made.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a judgment is madeaccording to whether the image change area b is straying onto the rightside of the sheet area a. However, a configuration may be adopted inwhich a judgment is made according to whether the image change area b isstraying onto the right side and the upper side of the sheet area a.

Still further, in the above-described embodiment, when the image changearea b is not straying onto the right side of the sheet area a by anamount equal to or larger than the threshold, it is judged that there isa possibility that a page of a two-page-spread-type document is beingturned, and it is judged whether the changing direction of the documentcontent is a horizontally-straight rightward direction or whether thechange area of the document content is the left-half area of the sheetarea a. However, how these methods are combined for judgment may bearbitrarily changed.

Also, a configuration may be adopted in which a two-page spread isjudged when all conditions of the plurality of judging methods aresatisfied, or a configuration may be adopted in which a two-page spreadis judged when at least one of the conditions of the plurality ofjudging methods is satisfied.

Yet still further, in the above-described embodiment, a photographedimage is divided into left and right pages at the center of the sheet.However, a configuration may be adopted in which a photographed image isdivided into upper and lower pages at the center of the sheet area. Inaddition, the number of the division is not limited to two. For example,the number of the division may be three, as long as the division is on apage basis.

Yet still further, in the above-described embodiment, aone-point-secured-type document obtained by bundling a plurality ofsheets and securing the upper-right corners of these sheets with a clipor the like is exemplarily described. However, the position to besecured with a clip or the like is not limited to the upper-right cornerof the sheet, and may be the upper-left corner or the center upper-endportion.

Yet still further, in the above-described embodiment, a photographedimage is divided into left and right pages at the center of the sheetand these left and right pages are each recorded and stored. However, aconfiguration may be adopted in which, in the case of atwo-page-spread-type document, when only one page is a printed page or ahand-written page and the other page is blank, the blank page isexcluded and only the printed or hand-written page is extracted to berecorded and stored.

Yet still further, in the above-described embodiment, the informationreading apparatus is structured such that the tablet device 11 and thepaper medium 12 are mounted on the double-open binder 10. However, thepresent invention is not limited thereto, and the structure may bearbitrarily determined. For example, a structure may be adopted in whichthe imaging section is mounted on a support pole or the like tophotograph the paper medium 12 from diagonally above.

Yet still further, in the above-described embodiment, the tablet device11 is described as an information reading apparatus of the presentinvention. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, andthe information reading apparatus may be, for example, a personalcomputer, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), or smartphone equipped witha camera, or a digital camera.

Yet still further, the “devices” or the “sections” described in theabove-described embodiment are not required to be in a single housingand may be separated into a plurality of housings by function. Inaddition, the steps in the above-described flowcharts are not requiredto be processed in time-series, and may be processed in parallel, orindividually and independently.

While the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiments, it is intended that the invention be not limitedby any of the details of the description therein but includes all theembodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image control apparatus which stores in astorage section an image captured in an imaging section, comprising: acomparing section which, after changing from a first static image inwhich an imaging subject is not in motion into a dynamic image in whichthe imaging subject is in motion and at a time when changing from thedynamic image into a second static image in which an imaging subject isnot in motion, compares the first static image and the second staticimage; and a storage controlling section which controls whether or notto store the second static image in the storage section, in accordancewith a comparison result of the comparing section.
 2. An image controlapparatus which stores in a storage section a captured image captured inan imaging section, comprising: a detecting section which detectspresence or absence of a change in images sequentially captured in theimaging section; a comparing section which, after a change in the imagesis detected in the detecting section and at a time when detected that achange in the images has ceased, compares an image captured in theimaging section at the time with an image captured before the change inimages is detected; and a storage controlling section which controlswhether or not to store the image captured at the time in the storagesection, in accordance with a comparison result of the comparingsection.
 3. The image control apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe detecting section temporarily stores an image captured in theimaging section, and compares an image newly captured in the imagingsection with the temporarily stored image, thereby detecting the changein images.
 4. The image control apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe comparing section compares the image captured at a time whendetected that a change in the images has ceased with a preceding imagestored in the storage section immediately before the change in images isdetected.
 5. The image control apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe storage controlling section controls such that, when the imagescompared in the comparing section are different, the image captured atthe time is stored in the storage section, and, when the images comparedin the comparing section are not different, the image captured at thetime is not stored in the storage section.
 6. The image controlapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage controlling sectionjudges a content of the image captured in the imaging section and storesthe captured image with content based on the judgment result.
 7. Theimage control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storagecontrolling section judges whether the image captured in the imagingsection is a two-page spread document image and, when the captured imageis a two-page spread document image, divided a two-page spread imageinto respective images of two pages included in the captured image andstores the respective images.
 8. An image control method which stores ina storage section a captured image captured in an imaging sectioncomprising: a detecting step of detecting presence or absence of achange in images sequentially captured in the imaging section; acomparing step of, after a change in the images is detected in thedetecting step and at a time when detected that a change in the imageshas ceased, comparing an image captured in the imaging section at thetime with an image captured before the change in images is detected; anda storage controlling step of controlling whether or not to store theimage captured at the time in the storage section, in accordance with acomparison result of the comparing step.